Take Heed to Thyself, Part 1

The point: Regularly read through the letters to Timothy and Titus as an inspired manual on pastoral theology.

Martin compares himself to a pitcher moved to right field, acknowledging the distance and hoping it won't hinder mutual sharing, setting a humble tone for his address.

I feel like a young man who has ambitions to be a pitcher and is used to pitching from the pitcher's mound and suddenly is put out in right field, up above you and away from you, such a distance. But I hope this will not in any way be a barrier to a sense of mutual sharing of heart and mind as together we seek to discover that which the Lord would say to us from his own infallible word. As often as I am privileged to address groups of ministers and students in similar situations as this, I confess that the mental and spiritual trauma of seeking to ascertain what would be the best and most sign...

0:02 - 1:25 Read in full sermon

The point: Etch 1 Timothy 4:16 into your consciousness and make it a constant reminder of your duties.

He suggests 1 Timothy 4:16 should be a neon sign flashing outside every preacher's study, emphasizing its critical importance for ministerial consciousness.

And them that hear thee. If there is one text of scripture that ought to be etched into the consciousness of every preacher and every aspirant to the office of the teaching elder. If there is one text that ought to be made into a neon sign and hung outside the study door of every preacher to flash and blink in bright psychedelic lighting every time the preacher entered that study. I believe.

3:38 - 4:11 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin breaks down 1 Timothy 4:16 into three natural divisions: the command to intense watchfulness ('take heed to thyself and to thy teaching'), the charge to persevere…

The word 'take heed' is illustrated by the lame man in Acts 3 who 'looked on' Peter and John with focused expectation, highlighting the intensity of watchfulness required.

The word used in that historical narrative in the third chapter of Acts, where Peter and John are on their way to the temple, and a man who's been lame from birth is sitting there asking alms. And they say, look on us. And the scripture says, and he looked to them expecting to receive something from them. And Luke, in describing that activity by which a beggar, who is utterly dependent upon the benevolence of those who pass by for his very sustenance, he describes the activity of turning and fixing his gaze upon them with this same word. And he looked upon them with that focused gaze of expect...

7:45 - 9:02 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: Martin breaks down 1 Timothy 4:16 into three natural divisions: the command to intense watchfulness ('take heed to thyself and to thy teaching'), the charge to persevere…

Martin describes preachers who seem to have 'periodic fits of theological amnesia,' confessing one thing but preaching another, contrasting this with Paul's consistency.

forgotten all that he believed and taught elsewhere? I know some preachers that seem to have periodic fits of theological amnesia. They confess one thing when they're before presbytery to be examined for ordination. But when you listen to them preach, the kindest thing you can say is they must have had some periods of theological amnesia.

10:54 - 11:17 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon focuses on the first part of the command, 'Take heed to thyself,' arguing for its priority over 'take heed to thy teaching.' Martin warns against common imbalances…

He uses the metaphor of a 'great big beach ball' (inner life) versus a 'pinhead' (intellectual demands) to describe two imbalanced approaches to ministry, where one facet is overemphasized.

And I had a big black board here, I'd like to, visually conceptualize this individual. He views the ministry, primarily as the effusive the great big beach ball side. I put a little picture and I've described it for you. It's encouraged that maybe you'll have a little bit more of intellectual demands of an effective ministry.

18:12 - 18:54 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon focuses on the first part of the command, 'Take heed to thyself,' arguing for its priority over 'take heed to thy teaching.' Martin warns against common imbalances…

Illustrates how some ministers focus only on Jonathan Edwards' incisive logic, missing his intense godliness, as the 'secret' to his power.

And what do they see? They don't see Edward's intense godliness. They see his incisive, lawyer-like logic. And they say, that's the secret to his power.

19:42 - 19:53 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon focuses on the first part of the command, 'Take heed to thyself,' arguing for its priority over 'take heed to thy teaching.' Martin warns against common imbalances…

Illustrates how some focus on Spurgeon's vivid poetic imagery, overlooking his walk with God, as the 'secret' to his effectiveness.

If I can only give logic in my preaching, but just catch people by the sheer weight of its logical consistency. They pick up the same biographies and say, am I like Spurgeon? And they say, no. That man's walk with God was not the thing.

19:54 - 20:13 Read in full sermon

In this part of the sermon: The sermon focuses on the first part of the command, 'Take heed to thyself,' arguing for its priority over 'take heed to thy teaching.' Martin warns against common imbalances…

Illustrates how some focus on Robert Murray McCheyne's clear sermon structure, missing his godliness, as the 'secret' to his power.

He can turn men's ears into eyes, and he reads Spurgeon, and he says, that's the secret. And if I can cultivate that ability, then the purposes will be realized through me. He picks up the sermons of McShane, and he says, ah, there's the secret to his power. That's simplicity.

20:26 - 20:44 Read in full sermon

The point: Prioritize the nurture and cultivation of your own heart and life in the presence of God as your first and great responsibility.

Compares a minister who has failed to take heed to himself to Samson, who went forth to battle not knowing the Spirit had left him, highlighting the subtle loss of spiritual vitality.

He has failed to take heed to himself, and bear a gray hair in his spiritual experience, and he knows it not. Like a Samson who's lost his soul and goes forth to battle, he knows not that the spirit has left him. Why? And to take heed to himself.

29:42 - 30:09 Read in full sermon

The point: Ascertain your state of grace by looking beyond ministerial activity and asking what about you has no explanation but God making you new in Christ.

Uses the example of God making Balaam's ass speak to demonstrate that the ability to speak or preach with success is not evidence of inward special saving grace.

Not once do we can lay hold of the mouth of an ass to speak and get one of his disobedient prophets back into the way of his purpose. No, no. The ability to speak or to speak in Christ's name and to speak with success is no evidence of inward special saving grace.

40:48 - 41:11 Read in full sermon

The point: Make your calling and election sure through anxious and thorough self-examination, recognizing it is no child's play.

Quotes a seasoned servant of God who said, 'It is a frightening thing to perish beneath the shadow of a gospel pulpit,' emphasizing the danger of being lost despite proximity to the gospel.

One seasoned servant of God has said, it is a frightening thing to perish beneath the shadow of a gospel pulpit.

49:46 - 49:56 Read in full sermon

The point: Make your calling and election sure through anxious and thorough self-examination, recognizing it is no child's play.

Quotes a seasoned servant of God who said, 'It is more frightening to perish from the pulpit itself,' highlighting the ultimate danger for a minister without true grace.

It is more frightening to perish from the pulpit itself.

49:57 - 50:02 Read in full sermon

The point: Make your calling and election sure through anxious and thorough self-examination, recognizing it is no child's play.

Quotes Spurgeon on the difficulty and seriousness of ascertaining one's salvation, reinforcing the need for diligent self-examination for ministers.

Oh, my dear friends, and it's in that spirit that I address you. Take heed to yourself that you yourself are in a state of grace. As Spurgeon said in speaking to his students in his collection of lectures, he said, it is no child's play to ascertain so vital an issue. Perhaps that would be the best way to close by just quoting a paragraph from Spurgeon.

50:04 - 50:33 Read in full sermon